2022 Peugeot 3008 long-term test

The car Peugeot 3008 1.2 Puretech 130 Allure EAT8 Run by Mark Pearson, used cars editor

Why it’s here To find out if this practical and stylish SUV can still cut it in a highly competitive class

Needs to Prove it’s more than just a pretty face. It’ll need to dispatch commuting work and family life with flair, and cope with a wide variety of everyday duties 

Mileage 6658 Price £30,360 Target price £28,379 Price as tested £31,085 Official economy 48mpg Test economy 36.2mpg Dealer price £24,700 Private price £22,000 Trade-in price £21,700 Running costs £400.52

16 April 2022 – Style on a budget? I've got just the thing

A Huf Haus may be a strikingly modern and energy-efficient interpretation of a house, but when all is said and done it's just a house, and it still has to fulfil all the basic functions of one. The same logic could also be applied to my Peugeot 3008. It may be one of the few family SUVs to offer potential purchasers a touch of style, but when all is said and done it is still a family SUV, and needs to execute all the other functions they’d expect cars in this class to excel in. 

Well, they don’t have to worry. The past few months of use proved to me that my 3008 is much more than just a pretty face – it was good to drive, comfortable to ride in, well-equipped, practical and family-friendly in everyday use. 

One of the major surprises for me was how smooth it was. The 1.2-litre engine may have only three cylinders, but it was always quiet, especially around town, although it actually made a rather pleasant subdued growl when I put my foot down. It was pleasant to drive generally, actually, with quick steering that was highlighted by its tiny steering wheel. On top of that, the ride was always unflappable.

Inside, the style continues. Peugeot mounts its instruments high up on the dashboard, the idea being that you view them over the top of the tiny steering wheel rather than through it. For me, it worked really well, although I know smaller folk can have problems seeing all the instruments. A test drive is a must to see if you fall into the latter camp.

My 3008 was more than spacious enough for carrying family and friends around (I was even able to sit behind me, which isn't something I can do in every family SUV I've tried), and the boot proved its worth as a tip-friendly and capacious loadspace. 

It didn’t all go well, though. When I first connected my iPhone to the 3008’s Bluetooth, it decided not to add my contacts list or previous calls. Despite repeated attempts, it never did hook up. Likewise, the Apple CarPlay didn’t always work, initially connecting but often dropping out. Whether these niggles were caused by the car’s infotainment system or my phone, I never found out. 

By far the biggest headache, though, was trying to adjust the climate control. You see, the 3008’s temperature settings are controlled completely via the touchscreen, with no physical knobs or dials. This is a chore at a standstill, but if you try it when the car’s in motion (which you will, of course), it’s even more of a pain. 

Another area of concern was fuel economy. According to the digital readout, I was often struggling to get 30mpg, whereas the official figure for my car is 48mpg.

It took a familiar 50-mile journey from Surrey to Kent to increase my average. The route combines a few miles of motorway cruising with a bit of steady A and B-road action. I was rewarded with a read-out on the digital dash of 49.5mpg at the end of the trip, which was not bad considering my average speed was 46mph. Over the course of my time with the 3008, I hit a respectable but not outstanding 36.2mpg.

So, all style and no substance? No way. The 3008 is still one of the toppermost family SUVs in my book, not just for what it looks like but also for the way it goes and the way it goes about it. Concerns about the fuel economy and the touchscreen aside, it was very much to my liking.

Oh, and one more thing, you won’t have to pay a substantial premium over those other blander-looking family SUVs to own your 'stand out from the crowd' 3008 – and that's more than you can say for a Huf Haus. 

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